Draft rigging



Oct. 30, 1934. D. s. BARROWS DRAFT RIGGING 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June20, 1928 D. S. BARROWS Oct. 30, 1934.

DRAFT RIGGING Filed June 20, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 30, 1934. sBARRQWS 1,979,217

DRAFT RIGGING Filed June 20, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 QUllE2QWH 1 2ZQ 7/6 Im J 0 0'5 Patented Oct. so, 1934 1,939,217

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEEE DRAFT RIGGING Donald S. Barrows, Rochester,N. Y., assignor to The Symington Company, New York, N. Y., a corporationof Maryland Application June 20, 1928, Serial No. 287,013

12 Claims. 213-50) This invention relates to draft rigging andresponding to Figure 1 with the coupler and more particularly to a formthereof adapted for cughionini nechanitsrn1 gemotverii. t d emp oymentwith a swivel butt coupler. 1gure 1s a par 1a ron e eva ion an par-The'principal object of my invention, generally 'tial transversesectional view on the line 4--4 5 considered, is to provide a, draftrigging with 3, Of Figure 1, looking in the direction Of the SIIOWS. 13G

swivel butt coupler and involving a special form Figure 5 is atransverse sectional view on the of striking casting and sill tiemember, front lme 5-5 of Figure 1, look 1n he d rection of draft lugswith webs extending from one sill to hic arrows. 1 t 1 t 1 the other andan improved form of backstop. igure 6 is Ongi u-dina Sec iona View on 10Another obj t of m i ti i t provide a an enlarged scale of the swivelbutt coupler stem striking casting and front draft lug assembly fi fmmFigure 1. involving a combined casting connected to the asu e 7 IS atransverse sectional View on the sociated end sill and formed withrearward exline 7-7 f Fi r 6, k s n h dlr ct n tensions connected to theouter surfaces of the 0f the arrows.

15 associated draft sills of a car and draft lug casti e 8 1S P Of thelower frOnt in'gs comprising a portion above the draft keyciisllvlngreceiving slots in the'sills and extending between Flem' 9 1sa front elevatlon 0f h ms said sills and forwardly to engage the endsill, 5 Own in re 8. thelower portion extending between the sills andBleferrirlg t0 the drawings in detail, like parts forwardly to the silltie portion and serving as 153 i y thl i r f r nc pgar rsl 2 aeoupler'g'uide memb ere as s own a ra rigging em 0 1e in a ca A furtherobject of my inv ti n 1 t o id underframe involving center or draftsills 1 cona car underframe involving spaced draft sills nected at theirends to an end sill 2 and preferconnected by top d botto cover m t d aably formed with vertical webs 3 and outstand- 35 backstop and centerfiller casting, said lower flanges t0 the latter O wh ch 18 co flictedg9 it t t it' the t ittint t itii n gi itoitftfi 55511253155515" portionereof e ween he si s so' as no 0 1 e 1 interfere'with associate-dcushioning mechanism, E pg p 8, a i l g o p cr e rn p r gn a centerplate being connected to said sills" below an S1 6 D 5 mg 36 Ween 8 saidcover plate and extended forwardly beneath fi 2 3 tie lzi ci lia fil g lt0 the 35 said'cushioning mechanism. en 51 .i an. provi e v11 i si e ex61131011501 A still further object of my invention i t webs 11 connectedto the outer sides of the draft provide a swivel b'utt coupler in whichthe shank 1 g fi, by ircarghoi rlvegs 12d, shogvn rr ilost is of uniformdimensions or outline from the C y 1I1 sure 6 com me 028 5; 1S

35 rear or swiveling portion thereof to thecoupler s rablybfornllledwitllgg a rearwaitdllgu g gl ggi head whereby it may be read y insertedand D1 We fl engaglng pl withdrawn from an' associated striking and sill0f the p P p i Said COVEI plate tie casting without the'employment ofremovable h e y recelved at Outer edge between Bald striking or couplersupporting blocks or filler t z 3 1315B S111 ti pp fi 14 and 0011- 40 inec e ere o 111 any esire manner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention T Webs 3 of thefired-P511118 1 are slotted, as

relating to the particular arrangement and conmd lcated at for i theFlmft KEY/116 struction of the various parts will become apwhlch servesto e assoclated coup er parent as the description proceeds. Stem andlthto i i g 3 a RPifentng to the drawings illustrating my elfii g tv g ll grs if t cat d o r f O l Ii E a:

3 23? g g whereof 1s defined by the upper and lower portions 19 and 20,the adjacent p figure 1 1 1 1 edges of said portions being preferablybeaded 1 ii: a P ma Sec ions or ribbed inwardly, as indicated at 21,said bead- 01 undel Tame showmg one form of ing extending over the edgesof the slotted pormy :dmft f- 'tions 15 in the sills and connected atthe forward Figure a P plan and partlal portions thereof to form ineffect the forward Zontal sectional view of the underframe andrigportions of cheek plates, said ribbed edges 21 proging snown n Figurel. viding surfaces of increased area for supporting Figure 3 1s afragmentary sectional view corthe draft key 16. 110

Connected to the inner faces or sides of the sill webs 3 are draft lugsformed as an upper casting 22 and a lower casting 23. The upper casting22 is formed with side webs 24 connected to the webs 3 of the sills, ahorizontal transverse web 25 integrally connecting the side webs 24 andextending between the sills and above the associated coupler 1'7, andtransverse draft lug portions 26, normally engaged by the front follower27 of an associated cushioning mechansm 28. Although the cushioningmechanism illustrated is a friction draft gear, it is obvious that I donot wish to be limited to this showing.

At its forward end the web 25 is flanged, as indicated at 29, andconnected to the inner face of the end sill 2, whereby said end sill isreceived between the combined casting 'i and the upper draft lug and tiemember 22. The lug portions 26 are desirably braced with respect to theweb 25 by upper triangular gusset portions 30 and lower preferablytapering ribs 31 and triangular gusset bracing portions 32 are alsodesirably provided between the lower ends of the lug portions 26 and thewebs 24 of the casting, which are preferably connected to the sill webs3 by rivets 33. The webs 24 are extended to approximately supplement therearwardly extending portions 11 on the combined casting 7, as shownmost clearly in Figure 3, so that the sills are adequately strengthened,said web portions 24 being on the inside thereof and the web portions 11on the outside. As in the case of the web portions 11, the edges of thewebs 24 arepreferably beaded or ribbed around the slotted portions 15 inthe sills, as indicated at 34, thereby increasing the bearing area forthe key 16 and forming in effect supplemental cheek plate portions. Thelower lug casting 23 is similarly formed in that it comprises atransverse web 35 connecting the lug portions and sills and forming anintermediate sill tie and coupler guiding plate.

The forward edge of said web 35 is preferably flanged downwardlyadjacent the sill tie portion 9, as indicated at 36 and the rearwardportion is flanged downwardly, as indicated at 37, forming a lug portionfor engagement with the front foilower 27. Said lug portion ispreferably braced with respect to the web 36 by triangular gussets 38.As with respect to the upper lug portion, the upper edges of the sidewebs 39 are beaded or ribbed outwardly over the edges of the slottedportions 15 in the sills, as indicated at 40. The upper edges of the lugportions 3'? are preferably strengthened by triangular gusset portions41 between said lug portions and the webs 39. Below the lower flanges 4of the sills 1 the web 35 is downwardly offset, as indicated at 42, todirectly underlie said flanges for connection therewith by rivets 43.Said offset portions 42 are suitably reinforced by extending the lug webportion 37 outward to the ends of said web portions 42, as indicatedmost clearly in Figure 4.

The coupler 17 is of the swivel butt type, for example, such asdescribed and claimed in my Patent 1,431,717, dated October 10, 1922.The rear end of the stem proper is therefore formed witha pair of spacedflanges or webs 44 embraced by a swivel block 45 which is formed withflanges or webs 46, which are interspaced so as to lie on opposite sidesof the webs 44 and provide bearing pockets 4'? therebetween for engagingcorrespondingly curved edges 48 on the flanges or webs 44 for swivelingengagement therebetween. The swivel block and coupler stem are connectedfor pivotal movement therebetween by a vertical pin or pintle 49, whichis so positioned that it is cut into by the key 16, as indicated at 50,whereby when the parts are assembled the pin or pintle 49 is retained inproper position by said key.

In order, however, to avoid disarrangement of the parts when the key 16is not in place, I preferably hold the pin 49 in temporary assembledrelation with the swivel block and coupler stein by forming cuts in theends of said pin, as indicated at 51, and spreading said cuts to form ineffect upset ends on said pin and prevent undesired removal or loss in amanner similar to that shown in Figures 4 and 6 of my Patent 1,431,717,previously referred to. The edges of the webs 44 and 46, as well as thecorresponding pocket portions, are preferably coaxial with the pin 49 toprovide for proper swiveling motion between the parts.

It is well known that a swivel butt coupler of the type described isgenerally larger in transverse dimensions than a rigid shank coupler andthe portion immediately adjacent the swivel block has generally beenmade larger in such dimensions than the coupler stem between the head ofthe coupler and the end thereof. Such a construction, whilenecessitating an increased opening in the striking casting for receivingthe swivel block and enlarged butt of the stem, has made it generallydesirable or necessary to provide means for closing the opening to someextent after insertion of the swivel block and butt of the coupler,whereby the clearance between the stem and striking casting would not betoo great. This has been accomplished, for example, by having removablewear or filler blocks below, above, or below and above said stem whichare removed when the coupler butt is being inserted or withdrawn and areheld in position in any desired manner when the coupler is in position.

In accordance with my present invention I have enlarged the stem of thecoupler between the butt and head thereof so that the vertical andhorizontal transverse dimensions are uniform throughout the length ofthe stem and swivel block whereby upon designing the striking castingfor normal clearance with respect to the butt and swivel block saidnormal clearance is maintained when the coupler is in normal position asindicated, for example, in Figure 1. This result has been accomplishedin the present embodi ment by sloping the lower web 52 downwardly andrearwardly, as indicated particularly in Figure 6, to the lowermostportion of the coupler stem, as indicated at 53, where it overlies thesill tie or coupler carrier portion 9 of the striking casting, a wearplate being desirably provided between said coupler and sill tieportion. Rearwardly of the horizontal portion 53 the lower web of thecoupler is sloped upwardly, as indicated at'54, to join with the lowercurved butt flange or web 44. The upper web 55 of the coupler stem isdesirably continued straight forwardly from the offset portion 56forming a shoulder for engagement with the upper web 46 of the swivelblock 45, said portion 55, however, being formed as an upwardconvolution of reduced width above the stem 17 in the coupler andforming in effect a spacing rib or corrugation for avoiding abnorrnalclearance with respect to the striking portion 8 of the casting 7, andleaving portions of the upper wall on either side, which unite with theside walls, substantially alined with the upper flange 44. The loweroutline of the coupler is maintained straight and filled out by ribs orwebs 57, the lower edges of which are flush with the lower surface ofthe web portion 53.

The yoke 18, which is connected to the coupler 1"? by means of the key16, extends rearwardly around the associated cushioning mechanism 28 andnormally abuts the front face 58 of the combined backstop and centerfiller casting 59. The cushioning mechanism 28 is supported by thecarrier iron 60, the ends of which are in turn connected to theoutstanding lower flanges 4 of the sills by means of bolts 61 and nuts62 or any other desired connecting means. Undesired upward movement ordisplacement of the cushioning mechanism is prevented by an upper tiemember 63 connected to the inner surfaces of the sill webs by rivets orthe like 64. Therear or U-- shaped portion of the yoke 18 is desirablysupported by angular clips 65-, the vertical flanges of which aredesirably connected to the sills by countersunk rivets 66 or the likeand the horizontal flanges of which underlie the adjacent portions ofthe yoke. The front portions of the'yoke are not only supported by thekey 16 but are held in place by being snugly received between thegusset-s 32 and 41, as shown most clearly in Figure .4.

The backstop 59 has a lower wall or web 67 which is directly supportedon the bottom cover plate 6 and connected beneath said cover plate isthe center plate or casting 63. The height of the draft gear orcushioning mechanism 28 is so as illustrated particularly in Figure 1.The cen- 35 ter plate 68 is formed, as is usual, with a king pinaperture 70 and the bottom cover plate 6 and the striking casting 59 areformed with registering apertures 71 and '72, respectively serving ascontinuations of the king pin aperture '70. 40*- In order to strengthenthe backstop casting 59, the apertured portion '72 is formed as a hollowcylinder extending the full height of the casting between the lower webor floor 67 and the upper web or top '73, said top '73, however, notbeing quite as high as the upper edges of the side or connecting walls'74, thereby providing areas above said top for receiving rivets '75 forconnecting said casting to the sills of the car. The

upper wall 73 does not extend as far back as the lower wall 67 in thecenter thereof but the sides are preferably flared outwardly andrearwardly, as indicated at 76, to finally merge into theside walls '74.The front or striking wall 58 of the casting is provided with flaringextensions 77 forming in effect gussets between the extended sides 74 ofthe casting and the top or roof web 73.

In the present embodiment a plurality of horizontal webs 78 are providedbetween the top and bottom webs, which webs extend-from the frontweb'around the hollow cylindrical portion '72 and rearwardly to slightlybeyond the rear edge of the bottom web 67, where they are flanged, asindicated at '79. An intermediate vertical web 80 is also providedextending from approximately the center of the striking web 58 to theflanged edges of the webs 78 and tapering from said flanged edgesupwardly and downwardly to the rear edges of the webs '73 and 6'7,respectively. For bracing the longitudinally extending webs in--termediate the ends thereof transverse webs 81 side webs 7d arepreferably extended forwardly of the front or buiflng web 58 to provideriveting areas 82.

In the p'resent embodiment the bolster involves pressed plates ortransoms 83, the forward one of which has its web preferably in linewith the front web-58 of the striking casting and the rear-ward of whichhas its web preferably in line with the webs 81 of the casting, saidfront transombeing preferably connected to the casting by common rivetsextending through the side extensions 82, the sill webs and the adjacentflanged portions 84 of the transoms. The rear bolster transoms 83 may beconnected to the sills and striking casting in a similar manner.

From the foregoing description of my invention, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided animproved rigging construction in which front draft lugs are formed asintegral ties above and below the draft key receiving slots in thesills. The backstop and center filler casting is of special constructionproviding for great strength without undue weight and the bottom sillcover plate, which underlies said backstop casting, is coped to permitthe employment of a draft gear of maximum height. The coupler desirablyemployed is of the swivel butt type and the pintle or pivot pin thereofis temporarily retained in position by, in effect upsetting the endsthereof but when in place the lower draft lug cross tie located so as toavoid loss of the pin in any event. The shank of the swivel butt coupleris formed of uniform dimensions throughout to avoid the necessity forfiller castings above or below in the striking casting.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In railway draft rigging in combination with associated draft sillshaving slots therein for the reception of a draft key, a combinedcasting functioning as a striking casting and sill tie with rearwardlyextending portions notched to register with said slots and serving asthe forward portions of cheek plates, and front draft lugs connected tosaid sills and formed with portions connected to said sills and servingas extensions of those parts of the rearwardly extending portions aboveand below the notches, thereby reinforcing the sills at the slottedportions and supplementing the cheek plate portions and with websextending from one sill to the other.

2. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, an endsill, a combined casting connected tosaid end sill and functioning as astriking casting and sill tie member with rearwardly extending portionsconnected to the draft sills and functioning as the forward portions ofcheck plates, and front draft lugs connected to said sills and formedwith portions supplementing the cheek plate portions and with websextending from one sill to the other, the upper web being forwardlyextended to the end sill.

3. Inra-ilway draft rigging, in combination with an associated end silland draft sills, a striking casting formed with an upper strikingportion, a

lower coupler supporting portion and side portions with rearwardbifurcated extensions connected to the draft sills, said sills beingslotted for receiving an associated draft key, said connectedportions ofthe casting extending on either side of said slots and functioning aspartial cheek plates, and front draft lugs connected to said sills andengaging the webs thereof on opposite sides from the striking castingextensions and continued forwardly to supplement said extensions forreinforcing the sills, said lugs being formed as an integral castingabove the slots in the sills with webs extending therebetween and.forwardly to the end sill, an an integral casting below said slots witha web extending between said sills.

4. In railway'draft rigging, in combination with associated draft sillsand an end sill, a combined casting connected to the end sill andfunctioning as a striking casting and sill tie member, with rearwardlyextending webs connected to the draft sills and an opening for receivingthe butt of an associated coupler, front draft lugs connected to saidsills and formed with webs connected to the draft sill webs above andbelow draft key receiving slots therein, and webs extending between thelug portions and adapted to overlie and underlie an associated coupler,the upper of said webs being connected to the end sill.

5. In railway draft rigging, in combination with associated draft sillsformed with slots for receiving an associated draft key, a combinedcasting functioning as a striking casting and sill tie with rearwardlyextending portions connected to the outer sides of the sills and formedwith rearwardly opening notches defined by beading extending into saidslots and serving as the forward portions of check plates, and frontdraft lugs connected to the inner sides of saidsills and formed withedge portions defined by beading extending into said slots ascontinuations of the combined casting beading, and supplementing thecheek plate portions and with webs extending from one sill to the other.

. 6. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, an endsill, a combined casting connected to the front face of said end silland functioning as a striking casting and coupler carrier iron withrearwardly extending portions connected to the draft sills andfunctioning as the forward portions of cheek plates, and front draftlugs connected to said draft sills and formed with portionssupplementing the cheek plate portions and with webs extending from onedraft sill to the other, the upper web being forwardly extended andconnected to the rear face of the end sill and the lower web adapted toclosely underlie an associated coupler.

7 In railway draft rigging, in combination with an associated end silland draft sills, a combined casting formed with an upper strikingportion, a lower coupler supporting portion and side portions withrearward bifurcated extensions connected to the draft sills, said sillsbeing slotted for receiving an associated draft key, said connectedportions of the casting extending on either side of said slots andfunctioning as partial cheek plates, and front draft lugs formed withside Webs connected to said sills and engaging the webs thereof onopposite sides from the striking casting extensions and continuedforwardly to supplement said extensions for reinforcing the sills, saidlugs being formed as an integral casting above the slots in the sillswith webs extending therebetween and forwardly to the end sill, and anintegral casting below said slots with a Web extending between saidsills, the lug side webs being formed with inwardly extendingreinforcing webs also serving as yoke guides.

8. In railway draft rigging, in combination with associated draft sillsformed with slots for receiving a draft key, a combined castingfunctioning as a striking casting and sill tie member, and formed withrearwardly extending webs connected to the outer sides of the sills andbeaded inwardly over the sill edges at the slots, said casting having anopening for receiving the butt of an associated coupler, front draftlugs connected to the inner sides of said sills and'formed with websconnected to the sill webs above and below saidv draft key receiv-ingslots therein, the edges of said webs above and below said slots beingbeaded outwardly over the sill edges at the slots, forming continuationsof the combined casting beading, and webs extending between the lugportions and adapted to overlie and underlie an associated coupler.

9. A coupler stem comprising inter-meshing pivotally connected members,a transversely extending coupler key slot formed in part in each of saidmembers, the lower outline of said stem being straight from the extremerear end to the coupler head and the upper outline thereof beingstraightened by an upward convolution in the stem portion forwardly ofthe pivotally connected butt portion, whereby said stem is insertable ina combinedstriking and coupler carrier casting with uniform clearancebetween all portions thereof and said casting.

10. In railway draft rigging, in combinaiton with draft sills and anassociated end sill, a combined casting, apertured for receiving thestern of an associated coupler, comprising an upper striking portionengaging the outer face of the end sill, a lower sill tie and couplersupporting portion, and rearwardly extending bifurcated side portionsconnected to the draft sills, said sills being slotted for receiving anassociated draft key, said bifurcated extensions engaging the outersurfaces of the sills and lying on either side of said slots to functionas the forward portions of cheek plates, and front draft lugs connectedto said sills and engaging the inner surfaces of the webs thereof, saiddraft lugs having side webs extended forwardly to supplement the sideportions of the combined casting tofunction as cheek plates forreinforcing said sills, said lugs being formed us upper and lowercastings, the upper casting having a horizontal web extending betweenthe sills and connecting the web portions thereof which are attached tosaid sills, said connecting portions extending forwardly to engage theinner face of the end sill, the lower edge of said connecting portionbeing disposed at approximately the level of the lower edge of thestriking portion of the combined casting for guiding the stem of anassociated coupler and limiting upward movement thereof, the lowercasting having a web portion extending between the sills and connectingthe side portions there of which are attached to said sills, the uppersurface of said connecting portion lying slightly below the level of thecoupler carrier and sill tie member of the combined casting.

11. A coupler with a head and a stem having a pair of normallyhorizontal flanges extending from the rear portion thereof, a swivelblock with three flanges extending forwardly therefrom and intercalatedwith the flanges on the stem, said flanges having registering apertures,a pivot pin extending through said apertures for connecting said stemand'swivel block, said stem forwardly of said flanges having top, bottomand side walls, said bottom wall sloping upwardly and rearwardly from anintermediate normally horizontal portion, the lower surface of whichlies in the same plane as that of the swivel block, to join the lowerflange on said stem, and sloping upwardly and forwardly from saidintermediate portion to the head, the portions of said stem beneath saidsloping portions of the bottom wall being reinforced by gussets, thelower outlines of which correspond with that of said lower wall formaintaining the bottom of the assembled stem and swivel block in thesame plane.

12. A coupler with a stem having a pair of rearwardly extending normallyhorizontal flanges, a swivel block with three forwardly extendingflanges intercalated with said rearwardly extending flanges, saidflanges having registering apertures, pivot means extending through saidapertures for connecting said swivel block and

